


A Marriage of State

by Shortsandramblings



Series: Ramdom Shorts (...and Ramblings) [8]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Versailles, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-17
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-15 14:54:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7226971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortsandramblings/pseuds/Shortsandramblings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Different people’s thoughts and views on the new Marquise of Dragonstone and her marriage to the king’s brother.<br/><em> - Inspired by French Court, mainly during the Versailles Period, under Louis XIV.</em><br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cersei

**Author's Note:**

> Been watching the TV show Versailles, as well as reading a few things about the palace of Versailles and Louis XIV; which in turn inspired me with this small fic.  
> Little extra tid-bit: - The **maîtresse-en-titre** was the chief [mistress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_mistress) of the [king of France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_France). It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments. The title came into use during the reign of [Henry IV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_IV_of_France) and continued until the reign of [Louis XV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV_of_France).
> 
> For the moment it only plans to be 3 short chapters: 3 different POVs into Sansa's marriage to Stannis. - Hope you like :)

 

 

**_Cersei_ **

 

Cersei would have laughed, if she could only stop her jealousy for the girl’s youth and beauty taking over every time the chit appeared at court – usually on her husband’s arm.

Robert had also noticed the girl as well as her youth and beauty. Which is how this whole thing started and why _'His Grace'_ had decreed she marry his brother: Lady Sansa Stark, known as _'Winter's Bloom'_ , was to become Lady Baratheon, Marquise of Dragonstone, wife to the king’s brother and, of course, the king’s mistress in the same stroke.

\- Cersei knew this, the king’s brother knew this, most of court knew this. The only person, who didn’t seem to know, or understand, such matters, was the lady herself.

 

The king had already done this countless before, with other ladies of court. He had even arranged the marriage of his other brother to the lady Margery, for this exact purpose, two years ago.

All the other women at Summerhall’s court* had understood this; they all wanted a higher standing, power, jewels, ... _something_...

However, with the little wolf-chit it wasn’t that she didn’t seem to want to play the game of court, she just seemed to have no true idea of its existence. - No the girl was such a _perfectly_ _pure_ and _pious_ little _chit_ ; so full of innocence ready and willing to do her husband’s bidding. Her sense of duty to her husband or her family or to the gods were apparently more important to her than any ‘ _right’_ the king and court had over her.

 

Even three months into the marriage, Cersei would still note the look of frustration on Robert’s face when the girl and the Marquis crossed his path, as well as get reports from her little-birds that the Marquise of Dragonstone had yet to leave her husband’s bed for the king’s.

So there in lay the irony of it all: in arranging the girl's marriage to his brother, Cersei's drunk of a husband had ultimately made the _'Winter's Bloom'_ unattainable to him. - For all the women he would rut into half-drunk, it would seem that Robert would never have any of the wolf-bitches he pinned for.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * - since inspired by French Versailles court decided to also have the ‘main court’ of Westeros outside the capital: Summerhall = Versailles.


	2. Stannis

 

 

**_Stannis_ **

 

Never had Stannis felt such fury and utter loathing for Robert more than when his older brother had informed him he had found him a bride: Stannis would marry the Lady Sansa Stark, daughter of the late Duke of Winterfell, in two months time. He could even now still feel the intensity of his jaw clamping tight, his nails digging into the skin of his palms, to the point of nearly drawing out blood, whilst he had watched his brother-king infernal grin as he had told him of the ‘ _joyous news_ ’.

 

There seemed to be nothing wrong with the lady herself; _far_ from it. - For all Sannis knew about his affianced was that she was seven-and-ten, had been raised mainly in the Motherhouse in [Bechester](http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Bechester), before she had lived between her two family homes, Winterfell and Riverrun, where her mother had taken personal charge of her education by hiring tutors who, it was said, had taught the young lady to recite entire plays by heart, play the clavichord, dance, sing, paint and engrave. That is, until a little over a year ago, when she had been brought to Kings Landing, and then Summerhall, to be presented at the royal court.

No, the reason Stannis felt such contempt for the match was knowing the only real reason his king-brother was presenting him with such a beautiful and accomplished young lady, of one of the oldest Houses, was that Robert, himself, wanted to put his royal cock in her and make her his next official mistress.

Unfortunately the knowledge of his impending nuptials was only worsened by the lady herself. ‘ _Winter’s Bloom_ ’, as the court liked to called her for her pale dresses and generally pious look, had seemed _over_ -pleased with the news, when she in turn had been informed, much more than she should have been, confirming to Stannis that, despite her innocent-angelic facade, she obviously knew of the king’s plans as well, and was eager to become His Grace’s _'favorite_ ’; - Stannis’ first censure of the lady.

 

Renly hadn’t minded when he had received a similar announcement two years ago, because he could enjoy Ser Loras Tyrell, whilst Robert would enjoy his wife, the Lady Margaery Tyrell. If anything, for what his secretary had mentioned as well as what Stannis had observed himself, Renly minded that Robert had stopped bedding his wife, since it had not only lost him favour with his older brother but also with his Tyrell lover.

Stannis on the other hand, most definitely would not be so accommodating to Robert’s lecherous intents to _his_ future _wife_. At the very least, he hoped that he would be able to take the girl’s virginity before his brother made her his, and thus there would be more of a chance that her first child would be of his seed, and not another of Robert’s bastards. Though, he did plan to fight his older brother much more than that on the matter; - crown or no crown on his head.

 

However it was to his greatest surprise when his wife not only came still pure to his bed on their wedding night, but showed no true interest in the king even after Stannis had taken his husbandly rights; - no more than being a loyal subject.

No, on the contrary, his young wife would mainly stay either by his side, or surround herself with some of the other younger ladies of court, when he had matters of state to attend to.

This curious _attachment_ even carried into their own apartments. Stannis continued to be baffled by the fact that his wife would refuse to leave his chambers, insisting on sharing his bed at night. Stannis reluctantly agree that for his heir to arrive, he needed to give up _some_ of his prized personal space.

He had also begrudgingly recognized that waking up next to another, softer, body was not the most unpleasant feeling.

 

He had now come to hope that these recent changes in his life would not be removed once his wife had given him a son and thought she had done her duty by him.

 

 


	3. Sansa

 

**_Sansa_ **

 

 

The day the king announced her betrothal to his brother, the Marquis of Dragonstone, was one of the blessed days of her life, for Sansa knew she was _saved_...

 

... Saved from Joffrey, the Dauphin of Westeros.

Like many, even when she was still in her uncle’s apartments in Kings Landing, she had heard stories of the heir’s... _penchants_. To hear that such perversions existed had made her spine shiver and pray to the Mother and the Maiden for her to not be attached to such a man.

 

... Saved from His Grace, King Robert I.

Even more talked about the king’s own predisposition to want to _sample_ much of what the kingdom had to offer; whether it be its food, its drink, its hunting game... or its women.

In any case, once presented at Summerhall, no one could be have been blind to the lust ever-present in the king’s eyes, or not heard the stories of some of the other ladies of court: Lady Margery, Duchesse of Storm’s End, had only been the latest of his long list of mistresses, after Lady Delena Florent, one of his Estermont cousins... and many many more...

No matter the appearance of innocence and naivety she gave, Sansa was not a dolt: she knew some of the ways of court, and the rest she observed and learnt as she went on. In this same manner, she had heard the rumours that His Grace was looking for his next official mistress: it seemed that even Lady Margery couldn’t hold his attention more than a couple of years – though she had lasted the longest to date.

With all his barely hidden glances going her way - _as well as Aunt Lysa’s new husband’s and other’s over encouragements to take advantage of this_ \- the last months had actually been a torment for Sansa: ever playing the beautiful, dutiful lady, whilst wondering if the king would finally force her into a marriage to some baron or count (- who was eager to be in the king’s praise-), and to then force himself on her instead.

 

So when it was announced that she would be the next Marquise of Dragonstone, Sansa thanked not only the Seven but the Old Gods as well as all the other Gods that she had ever heard of:

\- For all his scowls, stiff posture, gruff nature and dark clothes, in her year at Summerhall, Sansa had come to realise that Lord Stannis Baratheon, Marquis of Dragonstone, was one of the very few who cared little for the intricacies of court, as well as one who would – and _could_ , to a certain degree – go against the king. And with this she knew she was _safe_ , she had her champion – _albeit an unhappy, brooding one_ \- to protect her from the king and his vile son.

 

Just so, she continued to be the young, innocent, and pious - and what most assumed _naïve_ \- to the extreme, to make sure she stayed pure for her husband, just like the septas and her mother had taught her.

The wedding was... _acceptable_. During the ceremony and the feast her husband had looked as sombre as ever, not once showing a smile, and only giving her the briefest of pecks when the vows were spoken. – His jaw had actually seemed even more tense than usual. If Sansa hadn’t come to understand some of his nature, she would have been more than offended that he seemed to be the least happy man at his bridal banquet, and the one the least wanting to bed her (- _the king being the first_ ).

As for the wedding night, it had definitely not been fully unexpected, as both the women in the mother house and her mother had prepared her for it, yet the whole... _consummation_ had definitely been somewhat of a jumble of shuffling and confusion, which had Sansa to briefly wonder why so many - _mostly men_ – were so keen on doing it over and over again, with their respective partner or a random servant... or another man’s wife, in the king’s case.

Nevertheless, Sansa was not one to admit defeat nor was she to fall to prey to another – _mainly the king_ \- for foolish thought. She would make sure to stay always surrounded by others or by her husband’s side, as well as always made sure to wear dresses that were a little less revealing than most other ladies at Summerhall. In the same way she would never go to her own bed, where another might be tempted to slip in and join her. No, instead she had continued to come every night to her husband’s bed; – ignoring his huffs and slight glares or looks of confusion. - A few of her _confidantes_ had already confirmed that – unlike both his brothers – the Marquis did not frequent the brothels or keep a mistress.

Thankfully, it seemed that similar to her sowing and her clavichord lessons, in time – _and practice_ – the different aspects of her life that she shared with her husband improved; - _in_ and _out_ of the marital bed.

 

The relief and comfort of her safety turned to true joy when Sansa could have cried happily for the second time in her life when she presented her husband with their first child: a large boy black of hair, with light-Tully-blue eyes, _Steffon Baratheon_. – Though still reeling from the birthing bed, exhausted, she could have sworn she not only notice a small but true smile on her husband's face but unshed tears in the corner of his eyes.

 


	4. Steffon

 

**_Steffon_ **

 

 

From a very early age, the lords and ladies of court would say he had his father’s hair and stubbornness, and his mother’s eyes and calmer temperament. Steffon liked to think he had both his parents’ aptitude for observation and understanding as well as his father’s quietness and his mother’s ability to not show all she was thinking and feeling.

 

With these qualities, he had noticed quite a few things from an early age certain, namely:

... the looks his uncle, the king, would give certain ladies of court – _usually the more voluptuous ones_.

... the looks his aunt, the queen, gave her husband.

... the looks the queen reserved for her twin-brother, Ser Jaime.

... the looks his uncle Lord Renly would bestow on his brother-in-law, Ser Loras.

... the looks the king gave his uncle Renly’s wife.

... the looks his lord father would usually wear when in front of the king.

... the looks the king would give to his lady mother.

 

Of course there were quite a few things he understood early on:

... his parents looks for one another were far from the norm, which in Steffon’s eyes made their marriage ultimately all that much more special.

... his father’s look – _and secret smile_ \- for Steffon. Even with his slight guilt on the matter, Steffon had also seen both his parents’ cherished looks for all their children, as well as his mother’s special look for Steffon’s youngest sister, Shireen.

 

But for most, it did take him a few more years to realize their full meaning, as well as give more significance to some others:

... the looks others of court would give to his cousins Willa, Lorella and Olenna.

... the looks the queen not only gave Steffon and his siblings, but also Lord Renly’s daughters as well as the young Edric Storm, and a few dark haired children at Summerhall or in Kings Landing.

... the looks father and Lord Jon Arryn, Duke of the Eyrie, had given him and his younger siblings as well as those they had similarly given to his cousins – both the royal princes and princess as well as the Duke of Storm’s End’s daughters.

 

However, with his understanding, other darker, more worrying thoughts and feelings had taken a hold of Steffon. - The darkest of all was knowing what was most likely to come and that his family was not safe.

At least he had all the more reason why the king was his least favourite uncle and the queen his least favourite aunt, and him favouring his Northern relations.

As well as being all the more grateful that his father had fought his king brother and had been able to push back any possible betrothal between one of the royal children’s Lannister cousins and Steffon – as Lord Tywin, Duke of Casterly Rock had pushed forward – or one of the Duke of Highgarden’s daughters – as Steffon’s uncle Lord Renly and his wife had proposed.

Even more so when his mother had finally been able to convince his father of a union through marriage with Valyria*, realm of the Dragonlords; pointing out that they would need his royal cousin’s – _and her aunt’s_ – help, in addition to their support from the North and the Riverlands. - Steffon had tried to rein in his feelings, to not look too pleased and eager, when he had met his distant cousin, the Princess Arianne Targaryen, granddaughter to King Rhaegar*.

Thankfully during all these troubling times, Steffon was also able to find a small sense of his mother’s humour had his mind pointed out that, for all the men his uncle King Robert had cuckholded and all the bastards he had sired, his queen had given him horns of his own as well as given him bastards of her own.

 

 

For all those reasons and more, years later, as he felt the weight of the crown being placed on his head, his mother, his wife and children, court and royal envoys from other realms looking on, Steffon couldn’t be more grateful for having his father’s sense of justice and duty - ... _as well as perhaps some of his stubbornness_ \- and his mother’s sense of honour and courage – _as well as her fierce protectiveness to those who had her love_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *- In this story/setting I am considering that the Targaryens have their own kingdom across the Narrow Sea, which included the Valyrian Peninsula, as well as part of the Disputed Lands, and some of the Free Cities.  
> [=> Lady Lyanna Stark, daughter of the Duke of Winterfell, (Lady Sansa’s aunt) had been betrothed to the then Prince Robert, but ran off with the then Prince Rhaegar (Prince Robert’s cousin through political marriages) when he visited Westeros on a ‘friendly tour/visit’ between the two realms.]


End file.
